Don't mind Hallie, Rinsui. She was one of the "DUH BETA ISN'T THE REAL GAME!" people.

Well, I can't blame her/him for that. I also expected the game to improve fast, so I bought the CE and 5000 yen worth of crysta. Still, I don't consider myself a troll. Just a very loudmouth, grumpy old boy.

People keep writing that the game has vastly improved; however, people also kept writing that while I was still playing and very underwhelmed with the changes introduced by then. So I'm a little puzzled about what to believe.

What really troubles me is the dilemma I am in. Look, I think the general artstyle in FF XIV is unmatched by any of its competitors. No bearded muscle-clad amazon bust-a-bust pornostar women as in many western MMOs, and a more lighthearted approach to the world as a whole than in most. Also, FF does not fall into the gaudy over-the-top sparkling lolitas-with-angel-wings and insatiable horse hips Korean style either. Both, I do not need in my game.

However - from my perspective - there are many things where both the US and the Korean concurrence have managed to set new standards since 2009, and I wonder whether XIV will be able to make up that gap. Whenever I see a trailer for Blade & Soul combat or even TERA (which failed, I hear?) or the crafting system in Arche Age, and compare both to what FF offers, I can simply wish Yoshi best luck for 2.0. Because right now, FF does not even play in the same league anymore. At least it did not when I quit.

And a trailer or sneak preview or even a few vague statements about what true core gamplay mechanic changes are on the horizon would tremendously help to calm my anxiety. Also, I am very concerned that SE, again, seems to have opted for tunnel-vision development behind tightly vacuum-sealed doors. The recent player poll was a remarkable step in the right direction. But how can players give meaningful feedback for the development of 2.0 when they know nothing about it?

than in most. Also, FF does not fall into the gaudy over-the-top sparkling lolitas-with-angel-wings and insatiable horse hips Korean style either. When I want to ********** to child pornography, I fire up the kansai enkou channel on 2ch and that's that. Don't mix it into my game.

Here here and wow... There are something's I just don't need to know about my fellow forum posters! Lol XD

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"I've never watched a nuclear explosion myself. That's a couple of degrees of stupid above my limit"- Old Man Harris

@Ostia, you call the people who currently pay stupid for supporting the game and the idea that SE can slap the FF brand on crap and people will pay for it. However have you considered the alternative? That maybe the stupid people such as my self have simply managed to see/find something to keep us logging in every day, which you did not during your time with the game. I played SWTOR, for 3 months... and came back, because i saw no real future there for my self. I beta tested TERA, and canceled my preorder as i saw no real future for my self there as well. So could it be that the issue does not stand with the intelligences of the people who play, but with your self not being able to see a real future for your self in this game?

I also just want to be clear that just because I'm a subscriber and I like what I'm playing through now, does not mean that it's at the point where I feel that Final Fantasy XIV is fixed/ready/what have you. There are large issues with the game that still need to be resolved (user interface, server architecture, linkshell/guild management), but very often on these threads I see responses from people that are complaining about features that have been long dropped/changed in game a while back that they think are still there.

Fatigue/powerleveling/lack of story seems to be the three most I keep seeing among forum lurkers.

I also just want to be clear that just because I'm a subscriber and I like what I'm playing through now, does not mean that it's at the point where I feel that Final Fantasy XIV is fixed/ready/what have you. There are large issues with the game that still need to be resolved (user interface, server architecture, linkshell/guild management), but very often on these threads I see responses from people that are complaining about features that have been long dropped/changed in game a while back that they think are still there.

Fatigue/powerleveling/lack of story seems to be the three most I keep seeing among forum lurkers.

That is how I feel as well. I came back after 1.21 and I have had a blast doing story, afs, instances and primal battles, this game is moving forward with every patch BUT there are SO many things that bother me to no end about the game. Honestly if I didn't know there is going to be a 2.0 that "will" fix a lot of these issues there is no way I would be playing the game atm.

I will probably quit again before 2.0 arrives and then give it a shot to see if my expectations are met at relaunch and if it doesn't I won't be playing anymore. I can enjoy things about the current game, but like you say that doesn't mean I think it is "fixed/ready/what have you".

@Ostia, you call the people who currently pay stupid for supporting the game and the idea that SE can slap the FF brand on crap and people will pay for it. However have you considered the alternative? That maybe the stupid people such as my self have simply managed to see/find something to keep us logging in every day, which you did not during your time with the game. I played SWTOR, for 3 months... and came back, because i saw no real future there for my self. I beta tested TERA, and canceled my preorder as i saw no real future for my self there as well. So could it be that the issue does not stand with the intelligences of the people who play, but with your self not being able to see a real future for your self in this game?

So you are paying for the development of a game, because you see yourself having a future in a game that is being developed in the Past ?

The issue as you mentioned is not that i do not see myself having a future on this game, is that this game has no present and will have no future by being developed in the past, this is not 2003, it is 2012 and it should be developed Accordingly. SE said it themselves, that even if nobody opted to pay, they would still go ahead with 2.0, so giving them money is stupid, you are giving them a pat in the back, for delivering mediocre goods, if you like them or not, they are mediocre, the game does not hold a candle to any current MMO, or FFXI and FFXI is OLD!! If 2.0 actually delivers and get's a reasonable following, it will be the worst thing that happens to those that actually paid SE to beta test their game, because when the casuals come(Wish is the market SE is targeting) and start complaining about how stupid and old school this game tries to be, SE will change it in a heartbeat, they have so far changed a lot of stuff on the whims of 20-25k players, do you think they will ignore 100k-500k community in favor of their loyal 20k ? Get Real.